Beth Wooden is the senior assortment growth librarian for the Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries. Electronic mail her at readingforfun@fvrl.org.
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You’ve most likely heard it stated that everybody is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.
True or not, let’s take this chance to look extra carefully at books about all issues Irish.
St. Patrick, because it seems, was NOT Irish, however British. Credited with bringing Christianity to Eire, St. Patrick’s Day falls on what was considered the date of his demise. Oh, and spoiler alert: there have been no snakes in Eire.
Northern Eire was created in 1921, and the southern elements of the realm, comprising 26 of the 32 counties, grew to become the Irish Free State across the similar time. This space is understood politically because the Republic of Eire, whereas Eire refers back to the island geographically.
fashionable historical past of Eire is “We Don’t Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland” by Finton O’Toole (2021), whereas the basic “How the Irish Saved Civilization” by Thomas Cahill (1996) particulars Eire’s function within the preservation of information throughout the Darkish Ages.
Fascinated by a visit to Eire? There are lots of journey books accessible, together with:
“Frommer’s Ireland” (2025).
“Fodor’s Ireland” (2025).
“Rick Steves’ Ireland” (2022).
For different elements of Eire’s historical past look to:
“The Rock from Which You Were Hewn: The Lives and Legacy of Holy Irish Men and Women” edited by Dr. Patrick Kenny and Father John S. Hogan (2024).
“Plentiful Country: The Great Potato Famine and the Making of Irish New York” by Tyler Anbinder (2024).
“One Man’s Terrorist: A Political History of the IRA” by Daniel Finn (2019).
“Tasting Whiskey: An Insiders’ Guide to the Unique Pleasures of the World’s Finest Spirits” by Lew Bryson (2014).
“Irish Fairy Tales and Folklore” compiled by W.B. Yeats initially within the 1800s.
“When You Are Old: Early Poems and Fairy Tales” by W.B. Yeats (this version 2014).
“Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt (1996).
Eire has produced many fantastic authors, together with Oscar Wilde and James Joyce, and extra not too long ago, John Banville, Colm Tóibín and Tana French. To wind up our Irish tour, listed here are some novels about Eire, by Irish authors:
“The Lost Bookshop” by Evie Woods (2023). A bookshop on a quiet road in Dublin adjustments the lives of three strangers.
“Maeve in America: Essays by a Girl from Somewhere Else” by Maeve Higgins (2018). Humorous essays on love, life and changing into an American.
“Milkman” by Anna Burns (2018). Psychological fiction set throughout The Troubles within the Seventies.
“A Week in Winter” by Maeve Binchy (2012). Binchy’s final ebook particulars on a regular basis life in a small Irish city.
“The Sea” by John Branville (2006). A lyrical meditation on grief, childhood and reminiscence.
“The Barrytown Trilogy” by Roddy Doyle (1995). A gaggle of younger Irish musicians wrestle to convey soul music to Dublin. Foundation of the film “The Commitments.”